Nolan McLean (4-5, 4.03 ERA) gets the ball for New York at 7:07 PM ET, opposed by Kevin Gausman (4-6, 4.36 ERA) in a matchup that reads cleaner on paper than either pitcher deserves. McLean gave up 6 earned runs to Chicago in his last start, while Gausman has posted a 0-3 record with a 7.62 ERA across 5 June starts — allowing 8 home runs and watching his fastball velocity slip to 93.8 mph.
For Gausman, the June implosion is the real story. He was one of baseball's better starters through April and May before things came apart. The working theory is that a shortened offseason — Toronto made a deep 2025 playoff run, burning Gausman for over 30 extra innings — has caught up to him late in the first half. Blue Jays Nation has noted that back-to-back rough outings are historically uncommon for him, which is at least something. He needs a clean game badly.
The Mets are a club in organizational freefall. New York fired Carlos Mendoza earlier this month with the team at 34-47, and Andy Green — who went 274-366 with San Diego from 2016 to 2019 and hadn't managed in the majors since — took over as interim. Whatever bump a managerial change is supposed to provide hasn't arrived yet. The Mets went 1-4 in their last 5 games before this road trip, their lone win squeezed between losses to the Cubs and Phillies. The Blue Jays had their own rough stretch — getting swept in 4 at home by Texas dropped them to 39-44 — before last night's 2-1 win stopped the bleeding.
- Day-To-DayChristian Arroyo 2B — The Mets re-signed Arroyo to a minor-league contract Tuesday.
- Day-To-DayRyan Lambert RP — Triple-A Syracuse placed Lambert on the 7-day injured list June 4 due to an unspecified injury.
- Day-To-DayMike Baumann RP — Baumann signed a minor-league deal with the Mets on Wednesday, Michael Mayer of MetsmerizedOnline.com reports.
- Day-To-DayBrandon Waddell RP — Waddell (shoulder) picked up the win after allowing three runs on four hits while striking out two across three innings during Saturday's game against Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre.
- Day-To-DayMike Tauchman RF — Tauchman (knee) is still rehabbing at the Mets' spring training complex and has yet to resume baseball activities, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.
- Day-To-DayJoe Jacques RP — The Mets signed Jacques to a minor-league contract Wednesday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
- Day-To-DayKevin Herget RP — Herget signed a minor league contract that includes an invitation to spring training with the Mets on Thursday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.
- Day-To-DayJose Rojas 3B — Triple-A Salt Lake placed Rojas on its COVID-19 injured list Sunday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
- Day-To-DayArjun Nimmala SS — The Blue Jays promoted Nimmala from High-A Vancouver to Double-A New Hampshire on Sunday.
- Day-To-DayRJ Schreck LF — Schreck (hand) has gone 2-for-8 with a home run, two RBI and an additional run in two games for Triple-A Buffalo since being reinstated from the 7-day injured list Friday.
- Day-To-DayGeovanny Jesus Planchart C — no
- Day-To-DayChay Yeager RP — Yeager will undergo season-ending UCL surgery on his right elbow Wednesday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
- 10-Day-ILAddison Barger RF — Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Monday that Barger (elbow) will be shut down for a couple of weeks after recently sustaining a stress reaction in his back, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILJesus Sanchez RF — The Blue Jays placed Sanchez on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a right ankle sprain.
- 10-Day-ILLenyn Sosa 2B — Sosa (wrist) will begin a rehab assignment Monday with the Blue Jays' Arizona Complex League affiliate, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.
- 15-Day-ILMax Scherzer SP — Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that Scherzer (back/side) played catch Monday and could throw a bullpen session as soon as Tuesday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
The Mets' injury list compounds everything. Marcus Semien just received a Grade 3 hip flexor diagnosis and is out at least 4 to 6 weeks. Luis Robert Jr. started a rehab assignment at Triple-A Syracuse, but he's not a factor here. Toronto has its own problems — Jose Berrios had Tommy John surgery and is done for the year, Max Scherzer is working through a 15-day IL stint for a back issue, and Bowden Francis is also on the 60-day IL. Gausman is holding this rotation together essentially alone. McLean's walk tendencies (multiple free passes in each of his last 6 starts) could give Toronto extra baserunners to work with, but the Mets need to take advantage of a Gausman who has looked nothing like himself all month if they're going to turn Tuesday night around.